The use of cotters or cotter pins for the purposes of holding, retaining or positioning one body (e.g. a washer) relative to another body (e.g. a post) has been widely practiced for some time. Exemplary of early devices which were designed and intended for use as cotter pins is U.S. Pat. No. 362,548 which was issued to Oberlin Smith on May 10, 1867, for an invention entitled "Spring-Key". Another example of an early cotter pin type device is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 2,410,976 which issued to Simpson on Jun. 11, 1946 for an invention entitled "Securing Pin". Both of these examples are typical of the types of cotter pins which rely on an inherent ability of the cotter pin to reconfigure itself for complete engagement of the pin with a fastening member. They are also typical of cotter pins which are not configured to snugly engage with a fastening member, and to thereby a stable bulwark on the fastening member.
In many applications it is desirable that a cotter pin provide a stable bulwark on a fastening member against which a structure, such as a washer, can be positioned and held stationary. To accomplish this, however, it is necessary for the bight of the cotter pin to be specifically designed for its cooperation with the surface of the fastening member. Specifically, a sufficient portion of the bight needs to be positioned in contact with the surface of the fastening member in order to more evenly distribute the forces which may be generated therebetween. Further, it is necessary for the distal ends of the cotter pin legs (i.e. the end of the cotter pin which is opposite the bight) to be similarly designed. Still further, it is very preferable that the length of the cotter pin be established so that upon engagement of the cotter pin with a fastening member, longitudinal back-and-forth movement of the cotter pin relative to the fastening member will be either eliminated or minimized.
In addition to the dimensional considerations mentioned above, it is also of practical importance that the cotter pin be easily engaged with and disengaged from the particular fastening member with which it cooperates. The easiest method for engagement, of course, would be a one-step operation wherein the cotter pin is simply press-fit into the fastening member. Likewise, the easiest method for disengagement would be effectively a one-step operation.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a press-fit cotter pin which can be snugly engaged with a fastening member to establish a stable bulwark for holding a third body on the fastening member. It is another object of the present invention to provide a press-fit cotter pin which can be engaged with a fastening member in a one-step operation. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a press-fit cotter pin which can be easily disengaged from a fastening member. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a press-fit cotter pin which is relatively easy to manufacture, simple to operation and comparatively cost effective.